


A Little at a Time

by Zibomotua



Category: Game Grumps, Ninja Sex Party (Band)
Genre: F/M, M/M, Self-Insert, it's like those mystery romance novels I love to read!, you can be a boy or a girl!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-21
Updated: 2017-10-22
Packaged: 2019-01-20 22:05:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12442734
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zibomotua/pseuds/Zibomotua
Summary: With nothing but a backpack to your name, you wander the streets of San Fransisco looking for a fresh start. Instead you find yourself questioning your sanity, constantly looking over your shoulder for a gaze you can feel but not see. Not to mention the beautiful curly haired stranger you keep running into who saves you from making a big mistake.This is a remix of axolotlNerd's All At Once (Dan Avidan/Reader Insert)





	1. The Bridge

**Author's Note:**

  * For [axolotlNerd](https://archiveofourown.org/users/axolotlNerd/gifts).
  * Inspired by [All At Once (Dan Avidan/Reader Insert)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/7925716) by [axolotlNerd](https://archiveofourown.org/users/axolotlNerd/pseuds/axolotlNerd). 



> I would really like to thank AxolotlNerd for their wonderful story. I just couldn't stop mulling it over in my head and I really wanted to write a mystery-type story of my own. I am going to be changing major plot points and other things, so hopefully it's not spoiled even if you've read the original. Please leave a comment below, I eat them for fuel to write.
> 
> This is my first time in this fandom (I watched Good Game and I'm hooked) so I'm going to get a lot wrong I'm sure, but it's technically AU....right?

CH. 1

‘Well I guess this really is rock bottom’ you think, pocketing your phone and slinging your backpack with the last of your possessions over your shoulder. The landlord won’t come after you about the few month's rent you still owe, not unless he wants the audio of him asking for payment in more unsavory ways to be revealed. At least, that’s what he thought. You’re quite proud of your last minute bluff and all the problem’s it’s saving you. 

‘Speaking of problems,’ you think, eyeing the park bench you’ve arrived at…

You finally take a second to let it all sink in. It’s been a little over a month since the police closed the missing person’s case against your brother. Then you were laid off from your secretary job at the vet clinic and now you’ve not no place to even sleep. Your parents have been gone over ten years and you haven't spoken to your aunt since. You don’t even know where she lives.

‘Good thing this is California and not Siberia,’ you sit on the cold metal bars, earbuds dangling from your ears. It’s only 6pm, so you have a long night of thinking to do before you have to find a way to get some rest. You eye the hundreds of college age students sprawled across the park grass and smell the familiar smell of the technically illegal type but the cops in San Fransisco never give a shit about that.

“FORE!” you hear over your music, flinching involuntarily as a frisbee goes right over your head. A very cute man with curly dark hair and even darker eyes leaps over the bench next to you, putting even a gazelle to shame. He makes eye contact with you as you whip around to watch him bend down to pick up the disc. Your cheeks heat up at the sight.

The handsome stranger just smiles as he stalks briskly back to his group. ‘Gosh, that is one megawatt smile if I’ve ever seen one’ You blink and go to find a less distracting park to wallow in. Checking your phone while it still works, you are able to find two homeless shelters within walking distance.

Two hours and three homeless shelters later you are shocked to learn how full every shelter in this city actually is. The third receptionist reasoned with you that you are going to be hard pressed to get a spot tonight as she writes your name and number down. You stand outside and look left at the golden gate bridge, before turning and walking right towards the park. A shadow across the street catches your eye, but when you look, you see nothing.

A week passes, homeless shelters continue to be full and your small cash fund can only cover so many more dollar meal hamburgers. You start to feel like you're losing your sanity with how often you feel eyes on your back or catch glimpses that aren’t there. You run into that guy with the curly hair again one morning while you are lounging in the corner of a cafe. He brings you a small coffee but gets pulled out the door by his friend before you can exchange more than a thank you.

Tonight you walk across the bridge to your last homeless shelter, unable to use your phone anymore. You stop and look at the lights of the city. 

‘This is it. There’s nothing more I can do.” you brace your hands on the railing of the walkway and lean over. ‘I don’t want to starve to death on the streets of San Francisco’

You hoist yourself up and sit on the railing, letting your legs dangle over at the water ‘I probably wouldn't even drown. I’d just die upon impact’

“Hey.” you turn towards the voice, somehow not as shocked as you should be to see the curly haired stranger. “We’ve gotta stop meeting like this”

He throws his legs over and faster than you can process, he’s already joined you on the ledge.

“Aaaah!” you say, forgetting your own introspection to be afraid for this handsome stranger.

“No, as long as you sit here, so am I.” He says grabbing your forearm. That only leaves him one hand to hold himself from falling!

Suddenly your only feelings are to get this innocent man back to safety as you push your feet under you and grab his arm with yours and try to pull him up and back over the railing. After a second of making sure you come with him, you feel tears prickle your eyes, using your voice for the first time in days “You idiot! What the hell!”

“I could say the same to you!” he says, glassy eyes mirroring yours. His grip on your arm tightens further. “You don’t have to do this! It gets better!”

“I tried!” you choke out, finally letting go of your tight hold on your emotions.

The mysterious stranger holds you and rubs your back soothingly for quite some time while you cry tears you’ve been holding in for months.

“I’m Dan. What’s your name?”

You mumble your name into his shoulder, pausing before adding a small thank you for the coffee. You feel his chuckle reverberate through you as you suddenly can’t keep your eyes open anymore.


	2. The Deal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you soooo much for the reccomendation to watch the windwaker lets play!! It's really cheered me up already! Im stuck in florida for the weekend with family and Im really not digging it. 
> 
> anyways here's chapter 2. its short but it was a good place to stop and I really want to try and crank this whole story out before I get distracted and never come back.
> 
> send more recs! I'll eat them as fuel for more stories!<3

You blink and suddenly you are dry, warm, and laying in what you assume is a bed. As you come to your senses, you can smell the sterile air of hotel and hear two voices murmuring somewhere in the near vicinity.

“-an’t just bring unconscious, probably homeless, strangers with you, Dan!”

“I told you! There was nothing else I could have done! They don't have any identification and I didn’t want to just send them to the hospital to be mishandled and then charged!”

You open your eyes to see Dan and a man with a weird blonde chunk of hair standing at the end of the bed you were laying on.

“Hey!” You look up to see Dan looking back at you as he crowds in and sits on the bed by your side. “I’m sorry to bring you here but you were down for the count and I couldn’t find anything on you to help. How are you feeling?”

“Like an idiot” you say, your voice almost unrecognizable to yourself. You look away. ‘How could I even have thought that giving up like that was the only option?’

“Hey. Hey” you feel a hesitant hand brush your arm. “It’s okay! You’re going to be Okay!”

Your eye catches on the other man shifting his wieght and you flinch unconsciously, remembering all the weird occurrences of the last week.

  
“This is Arin, he’s my friend. We’re up from LA taking a vacation and doing some sightseeing”

“Hi.” You sit up and hold your hand out to shake. Just because you're homeless doesn't mean you've lost your manners.

Arin glances at your hand and shakes lightly.

You glance at the clock, 5:42am. Dan must have been awake this whole time. Your first thought is you hope you can grab some continental breakfast and use the lobby wifi to search for your aunt.

“Thank you so much again, seriously, I just don't know what got into me. I really should leave you to get some rest.” You locate and grab your backpack and phone and pick up your still wet sneakers “I bet you're exhau-”

“Wait! Stop”

You feel a tug on your shirt and look up at Dan's quivering lip. “Please tell me you have some place to go.”

“Yeah!” You say automatically. It's not really a lie...you can probably find your aunt pretty fast…

“A safe, happy place.” Dans voice drops an octave and you have to stop your body from visibility responding.

“Yeah” you say with a little less gusto. Maybe she's turned over a new leaf like she said…

“Come with us!” Dan speaks fast.

“I couldn't.”  
“Dan!”

You pull away as Dan's friend protests.

“It's okay, really. I promise it was a fluke. You don't need to worry about me! If anything, **I** owe **you**!” You wave your phone as if to convince him.

“For me?” He half whispers. “I'd feel better if you would come with me until you know you have someplace safe.”

You realize your mouth had opened at some point and you were staring agape. “I can't”

“Give me a serious reason”

“It's” a handout.  
“I” need this.  
“You” could murder me. Would it really be so bad?

“Only until I find a job and can support myself.” You feel your shoulders relax and hold your hand out again. “Then I'm paying you back for everything.”

You lock eyes as he shakes your hand firmly. “Everything”

"Okay. Deal!" he says with the same smile you saw that first time.

 


	3. The Car Ride

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Really trying to get this out! I fall asleep with great ideas and then wake up forgetting them. 
> 
> Anyways I don't know much about the group as a whole or California so I left this chapter a little vague.
> 
> This is going to end up way more than 18 chapters and I've already written a few here and there but I still have to write the stuff that happens next first, right?

Turns out that means leaving San Francisco for Los Angeles.

“I can't wait to spend the whole ride telling you all about the Grumps and Ninja Sex Party!” Dan yells over his shoulder, going out to get the car while you and Arin wait with the luggage.

“What did I get myself into?” You look honestly at Arin.

Arin chuckles and sets his bag down. “It’s really not what it sounds like. Watch my stuff while I get some gum from the vending machine?”

You nod and readjust your backpack straps while you look for the ‘red car-thing’ Dan drives.

“Hello” you hear from the bench on your side. You look over and notice an older gentleman you don’t remember sitting there a minute before. Something about him reminds you of all the times you’ve had to look over your shoulder in the last month or two. Maybe even longer. You feel your sanity slipping. 

Before you can respond you see a hand interupt your line of vision holding something silvery. “Gum? It’s cinnamon” 

You look over at Arin and then around the gum to see the bench is empty. You take the gum, feeling a little shaken up. “Yea, thanks.”

“Come on losers! We need to go before the 101 becomes a parking lot!” Dan slams his hands onto the doorframe of his car, as if playing the drums to a song you dont know. When did he pull up?

The ride was nice. Dan and Arin take turns telling you about the Grumps, Suzy, NSP and the rest of their friends. 

“-and then I jumped up and down so fast I thought I was going to make it worse!” Dan laughs, body twisted around in the passenger seat to face you. He had just finished his leg of the drive and had switched with Arin for a break. There was a long silence where you just stare at each other. You wish you could take the time to commit his beautiful face to memory. You see a little pink in Dan’s cheeks. Has that always been there, or is it a blush? You feel yours reciprocating.

“Do you mind telling us a little bit more about yourself?” you hear Arin ask from his captain's seat. 

You watch Dan’s face do something unreadable. You take a long breath and break eye contact with Dan, this is too hard to say into those intense pools of brown. “Yea sure. I don't mind, really. I'm honestly surprised I didn’t think to say something already.”

“I was living with my brother up until a month ago when he went missing. He just...didn’t come back one night. I got the police involved right away but after a while there was nothing they could do. I got laid off from my job soon after and without me or my brother’s income, I couldn't afford the rent. I had only been out a few days when you...found me on the bridge…” You sigh heavily and cover your mouth with your hand while you continued to stare out at the mountains.

There was silence, You know it’s not an easy tale to tell. 

Dan soon broke the silence, “your parents?” he asks quietly.

“Died when we were younger.” you leave out the details for now. It’s not a pretty story either.

Quiet resumes and you feel a little awkward after baring your soul to two still pretty new and strange men. “I’ve never been to LA.” 

“No?! Well first we need to show you the grump space! NO! First we need to show you the grumps! Arin?! Which video should we queue up first?” Dan seems to have gotten the segue hint pretty well, thankfully and you really are excited. You can't wait to get some wifi and search for jobs in the LA area.


End file.
